1. Costa Rica 2012
8 days, 7 nights, Tamarindo destination

2. Destinations

3. Ignacio (Nacho)
Ignacio (Nacho) Escorriola
Director of Education
Nacho (short for Ignacio) is a born and raised Costa Rican who has been interested and
involved in the natural sciences since he was a child. Even though he grew up in San
Jose, (the capital city located in the Central Valley), his access to two oceans provided the
perfect inspiration to become the marine biologist he is today. Nacho comes to Scholastic
Expeditions with a vast and varied background in outdoor science education. He has
worked for over 20 years as an Environmental Consultant and Environmental Educator.
He has performed numerous services in both tourism and with rural communities doing
Community Development Projects. Nacho has led and continues to lead students on
programs throughout his country’s many ecosystems. He loves his job as it unites his
duel passions for teaching ecology and his beloved Costa Rica!
Nacho creates and develops all Scholastic Expeditions hands-on curriculum and trains
our guides on any necessary methodologies.
In his spare time, he enjoys photography and being outdoors with his family hiking,
mountain biking, and participating in waters sports.
Education:
• 1982-1988 – Bachelor of Science - Marine Biology from Universidad Nacional,
Heredia, Cost Rica
• 1987-1988 – Student Exchange Program with East Carolina University
• 1988-1991 – Masters of Science -Marine Biology from University of North Carolina
• 1991-1992 – International Development Policies Graduate Program, Duke University
North Carolina
• 1999-2001 – Masters of Science - Interdisciplinary Ecology from University of Florida
through a Fulbright Scholarship
• 2001-current – Ph. D in progress “Freshwater Wetlands”

4. Cielo Azul Bus

5. Ride into Costa Rica!
• Begin your
adventure...

6. Arenal Volcano National
Park
• Hike through lava
flows
• Become a volcanologist
for the day

7. Volcanic Hot Springs
• Spend the evening
relaxing in Arenal’s
natural volcanic hot
springs

8. White Water Rafting
On Rio Sarapiqui

9. Water Testing
• Test for water
quality at
various locations
in Costa Rica

10. Wildlife in Monteverde
Quetzal
Gray Fox

11. Monteverde Canopy Tour
• Zipline through the cloud forest!

12. Rainforest Hike
• Explore the tropical
rainforest

13. Rio Tempisque

14. Las Pumas Animal Rescue

15. Butterfly Gardens
• Examine caterpillars, pupae, walking
sticks and butterflies

16. Palo Verde

17. Palo Verde

18. Community Service
• Helping out at a
Costa Rican
school

19. Community Service
• Harvesting
medicinal plants

20. Community Service
• Bagging bananas

21. Eco-farm
• Learn about sustainable farming

22. El Establo Hotel

23. Volcano Lodge Hotel

24. View of Arenal Volcano

25. Costa Rican Food

26. Costa Rican Culture
• Traditional dance parade at San Jose

27. Fauna

28. Flora

29. Itinerary
DAY ONE • Dinner & Hotel Check-In
• Group met by Scholastic Expeditions upon arrival in Costa Rica.
DAY FOUR
• Drive to Arenal…Orientation Dinner & Hotel Check-In
• Breakfast
• **Optional red-eye flight which will allow for tour of Poas
• Monteverde Canopy Tour
Volcano & La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Students will zip line through the cloud forest for an exhilarating
DAY TWO once in a lifetime experience!
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Arenal Volcano National Park
• Butterfly Garden
Students will hike through the lava flows of this active volcano
Students spend the afternoon learning about all of the different
and participate in activities that allow them to become
species of butterflies and the adaptations each has made.
volcanologists for the day!
• Leisure time in beautiful Santa Elana
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Community Service or Eco-Farm
DAY FIVE
Visit with Costa Rican students at a local school. Learn about
• Breakfast & Hotel Check-Out
their culture and their day to day living and learning
• ECMAR
environments. Alternatively, students will work on an eco-farm
Student participant in a mangrove tour along the Tempiske River.
and learn about sustainable farming.
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Las Pumas
• Arenal Volcanic Hot Springs
An animal rescue and rehabilitation center. This non-profit center
Spend the evening relaxing in the natural hot springs.
will show the different stages of rehabilitation animals go
• Nighttime volcanic observation
through to be reintroduced back to the wild.
DAY THREE • Dinner & Hotel Check-In
• Breakfast & Hotel Check-Out
DAY SIX
• White Water Rafting
• Breakfast & Hotel Check-Out
This is an amazing experience that allows them to traverse
• Palo Verde National Park
through several different ecosystems while viewing Costa Rican
Students will participate in on-going scientific activities being run
wildlife along the banks of the river.
by university students and biologists at the Palo Verde ranger
• Lunch in Tilaran
station. It’s a bird watcher’s paradise!
Enjoy an opportunity to spend time with local Costa Ricans in a
• Lunch
quaint town on the banks of Lake Arenal.
• Depart for Tamarindo
• Depart for Monteverde Boat ride across Lake Arenal
• Dinner & Hotel Check-In
• Frog Pond
DAY SEVEN
Students will view famous species of frogs and learn about the
• Breakfast
adaptations each has made to thrive in their specific
• Marine Biology Activity
environment.

30. Itinerary
• Students collect specimens and data on the beach and then
analyze and present their findings to their peers.
• Lunch
• Surf Lessons
Students get to take surf lessons in this surfer’s paradise and
learn how to "hang 10"
• Farewell Dinner
DAY EIGHT
• Breakfast & Hotel Check-Out
• Depart for home

31. Academic Points
Water and Soil Testing at 5 locations throughout the country. Five about how a Wildlife Rescue Center works and what socio-economic
sites in 5 different ecological zones (i.e. tropical forest, dry tropical and political realities affect habitat destruction.
forest, brackish waters, etc.). Comparison and analysis of the data
and presentation of findings at the end of the trip. Community Service
Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Programs Numerous projects available. Here is some options of what
Offers lab where students get to work with a variety of insects and students do: reforestation, painting School Grounds, Community
arachnids. Typical lab is where students will divide into groups and Centers, building infrastructure, working in children’s or elderly
each group will get either a group of ants, butterflies, cockroaches centers, assisting in various groups, i.e. Women groups that need
or spiders. Depending on level of group and preparation, students help harvesting medicinal plants and packing them, Tilapia farms,
give each other presentations that cover roles of bugs in their eco- preparing vegetables at school grounds etc.
system and the potential for human interference. Manuel Antonio National Park
Monteverde Forest Research Possibilities Beach/Rocky Shore Organisms Survey: with equipment perform a
Tree Measurement Project: comparison of tree density between a scientific survey of small aquatic organisms here. Possible
cloud forest and other regions visited. Contrast forested areas with comparison to Monteverde results.
protected and hypothesize reasons for any variances discovered. Discussion of Biological Corridors Project, National Park History and
Discussions on Golden Frog extinction. Numerous research or its role in the Costa Rican Conservation Efforts, discussion of CR’s
suggested topics students can participate in, i.e. role of biological Conservation Area System, ER’s Environmental Education Efforts and
adaptations, habitat loss, conservation measures, etc. Results, how Scarlet Macaw and /or Squirrel Monkey Studies are
conducted in a Protected Area and Buffer zones, how dolphin and
Freshwater Organisms Survey (aquatic insects) of small streams in whale research is conducted in CR, and marine and shore bird
Monteverde and perhaps other water bodies visited. studies are done. Depending on season, Turtle walk may be
Los Pumas Rescue Center possible or Turtle Night Patrol in Playa Rey with Local Ministry of the
Environment and other NGO officials.
Learn about Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species such as :
Gray Fox, White-faced Monkey, Scarlet Macaw, and 5 of the 6 Costa
Rican Feline Species: Ocelot, Jaguarondi, Margay, Puma and Jaguar,
all of which are present at the Los Pumas Rescue Center. Learn also

32. Sunsets
• Just another great reason to come to Costa Rica!

33. Make it Happen!
• Contact your supervising teacher or
Susan Schai at (831) 440-1041
• The adventure of a lifetime awaits you!

34. How to Register
• Two part process:
1. Sign up online at
scholasticexpeditions.org
2. Send deposit of $250 to:
• 5601 Scotts Valley Dr. Ste. 313
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
• And you’re all set!